OUR POSITION. 229 notice of the approach of an enemy from any direction.

If we were attacked, the Arabs would most probably come from the north-east, for a track led that way through the hills in the direction of Berber, where we knew there was a strong force of the enemy. At night we had to be satisfied with a cordon of sentries all round the camp, sufficiently far out to give us time to form up if necessary. As another precaution, a heliograph was established on a hill two miles towards Gakdul, by means of which we could communicate with the force there under Sir Evelyn Wood ; so, practically, we were as safe as was possible under the circumstances. The only unpleasant part would have been if the Arabs had lined the hills during the night, and potted us from there ; happily they never did.

Once encamped, there was not much work to be done ; the weather was already getting hotter, and there was very little to tempt us out of our comfortable quarters.

Our chief amusement lay in exploring the country after luncheon, for between nine and three any exer-